So I thought, with it being a spooky kind of week what with Halloween looming over us, I’d do a few posts about some of my favourite horror movies mixed with some that I feel are somewhat underrated.
This film falls under both of those categories:
Vacancy (2007)
If you haven’t seen it, it’s a tense horror/thriller starring Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) and Luke Wilson (Zombieland: Double Tap) among others.
This is what it’s about:
When an estranged couple’s car breaks down they have little choice but to spend the night at a remote hotel. With little to do to entertain themselves, the couple flick through the low budget slasher movies provided in their room, only to realise that the horrifying images they see are real and were recorded in the very room they’re staying.
With hidden cameras capturing their every move, David and Amy must find a way out before they become the latest stars of another film in the series of snuff films.
I really like this movie!
One of the things that’s so great about the horror genre in particular is that there are so many sub-genres. You’ve got your slashers and your supernatural-type horrors, your “found footage” (The Blair Witch Project/Paranormal Activity) movies and in this case, the home invasion horror.
If you’ve seen films like The Strangers (2008) or Hush (2016), this fits into that same sub-genre.
Kate Beckinsale gets top billing for this film but I’ve got to say, I think Luke Wilson steals the show!
Every now and again a comedy actor proves themselves to be capable of far more by stepping up to the plate and delivering in a much more serious role. Owen Wilson (Luke’s brother) did just that in No Escape (2015) as did Lake Bell in the same movie.
I get the whole “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” thing but some comedy actors are capable of much more than we know but rarely ever show it.
In this film Luke Wilson is utterly convincing as a desperate guy scared out of his wits.
The premise is original, the tension is non-stop and the performances from both Beckinsale and Wilson are excellent. The movie also does a great job of conveying the claustrophobia of the motel room which really makes you feel like you’re there.
The only thing I’m slightly perplexed about is why Luke Wilson’s character is wearing a long-sleeve sweater under his shirt for the entire film…
A sequel (or rather prequel) entitled, Vacancy 2: The First Cut was released the following year in 2008 but I haven’t seen that one. From what I hear and have read though it’s not all that.
If you like a good tense horror/thriller that’ll keep you glued to the screen for a nice sensible run time of 1 hour 25 minutes, I highly recommend checking this one out.
Seen it? Let me know what you think.